Lay Me Down
by Saint of the Sinners
Summary: Inspired by Sam Smith's song. A brief scene in a world with my OC in it, just a turning point in a storyline I've been toying with for a while in my head. Avengers are involved, but not the central focus at this point in time. Bruce/OC One shot for now, but if it gets a good response or if I churn it out one day I'll post a separate story that this is connected to.


*******Hello All! This is my first story in a long time. This idea has been niggling in the back of my head for a while, and I needed to write it to get it out.

I have a whole storyline in my head for my OC (Tab) and the Avengers, but I'll wait to write it depending on how this is received.

Anywho, onto the story!*******

"Come on Tabby Cat. We'd really appreciate it, it can be your anniversary gift to us since you've been away."

How could she resist that smile and his warm, pleading eyes? She couldn't. She knew that this was it for any fantasies she had been harboring in her mind between herself and one Bruce Banner. This is the something so painfully minor compared to what she would actually be willing to give him if he asked her. Bruce deserved this at the very least from her, and Anne had won him fair and square. Tab would give in, she always would, no matter how much it hurt.

"Of course. Anything for you, Bruce." Her smile didn't reach her eyes, but Bruce was already leading his girlfriend to the dance floor so he couldn't see it.

Tab headed over to the band on the platform planted into the roof of Stark (now dubbed Avengers) Tower.

"Hey guys, I have a gift to give to the happy couple, could you help a singer out without her band?" The musicians quickly gathered around the endearing blonde, eager to help her however they could.

—

Bruce had pulled his fellow Avengers to the side while Anne chatted away with her lab friends who had come to the party, "This is it guys, I'm asking her to marry me." His eagerness was obvious, but none of his friends could share his enthusiasm.

"Don't worry, it won't affect the team at all."

"Like hell it won't," Steve snapped, "I don't see how this won't affect the team. Have you even thought about what this will do to Tab?"

"Steve, don't." Natasha knew this would happen, sooner or later. "If Bruce thinks that this decision is…wise. Then we should be happy for him. Tab is a big girl, and a friend to us all, she'll support him no matter what." She whispered the last part to Steve, so as not to let Tab's feelings for Bruce be made public to the man in question.

"What do you mean? This outburst isn't like you, Cap." Tab? Why would Tab be affected, he knows she's been a good friend, but why…..

"All the help she's given you because of her gift. Her ability to curb The Other Guy. I doubt she'll want to run over to Anne's place when you two duke it out. Right Steve?" Steve set his jaw and nodded at Tony's words.

Bruce chuckled, "Don't worry about that. She won't have to be there to clean up all my messes anymore. Anne and I will be great now that all the commotion had died down with Loki." Even Tony could tell he was delusional; the usually level-headed, smart doctor was completed enamored with the wrong girl and he couldn't even see it.

"Just remember it WAS her who cleaned up the messes Anne left behind." Steve stalked off in a manner very unlike the patriot usually.

A voice broke through the crowd, "Excuse me, if I could invite Bruce and Anne to the dance floor to hear a special song acting as a gift for the couple's one year anniversary." Tab ignored the pang in her chest at spotting the couple meet in the center of the empty dance floor. She stared right at Bruce as his eyes met hers, "This one is for you."

The piano started playing and she began,

"_Yes, I do, I believe_

_That one day I will be where I was_

_Right there, right next to you_

_And it's hard, the days just seem so dark_

_The moon, the stars are nothing without you_

_Your touch, your skin,_

_Where do I begin?_

_No words can explain the way I'm missing you_

_Deny this emptiness, this hole that I'm inside_

_These tears, they tell their own story"_

Bruce began leading Anne around the floor in a slow dance and was suddenly seized with a fiercely uncomfortable sensation starting in his chest. This wasn't right. The song was wrong for this moment, that must be it. Too sad. He should've asked Tab for a happier song to celebrate their love with. She shouldn't be singing with this much pain, Tab…_Tab…_

His mind was suddenly assaulted with images flashing through his head.

**Kissing. Touching. Whispering. Laughing. **

**A big tree. The beach. The house she grew up in. **

**Her. Him. Them. Together, blissfully happy. **

Where had this all been? Where'd it all come from. It was so familiar to him. It made sense, it made him feel warm, and it made him hear his own voice, "**This week has been amazing, but I- this is right. Tab, you're my friend, my best friend, and you're the only one who can make me and The Other Guy feel alright because of that magical voice of yours, and I need you. I need you to be mine." **

**Tab stared. After everything, after this magical week, Bruce could be hers…but it isn't real. She sang him to love her and he did. But it wasn't for the right reason. It was because he overheard her in the shower. **

**"****I love you so much Bruce."**

**She willed herself not to cry as she focused her energy into her voice to make him forget this entire week and everything that transpired between them. **

**"****_Never mind I'll find_**

**_Someone like you ooh._**

**_I wish nothing but the best_**

**_for you two. Don't forget me_**

**_I beg. I remember you said, _**

**_sometimes it lasts in love _**

**_but sometimes it hurts instead."_**

**And that was it. He'd never know what happened between them that week, or what they shared…until…**

He loved her, no, he loves her. Bruce couldn't believe it. It was Tab. How could he have been so stupid. Steve tried to tell him and he didn't even register what he was trying to say. She loved him back. They had a whole week of nothing but love and perfection, and she made him forget…but why?

She loved him for christ sakes!

By this time the song was coming to an end and other couples had gathered on the floor.

"Can I lay by your side, next to you, you

And make sure you're alright?

_I'll take care of you_

_And I don't wanna be here if I can't be with you tonight_

_Lay me down tonight, lay me by your side_

_Lay me down tonight, lay me by your side_

_Can I lay by your side, next to you, you"_

Tab finished the song to a moment of stiff silence before a wave of applause and leaned back to the mic, "And now a toast," she picked up her glass and raised it, "To Bruce and Anne. Bruce, you are so dear to me, and I'm so happy I have been able to have you in my life. I haven't always had the best life and I know you haven't either. But look at what we have found! A life that is painfully beautiful and bursting with life…with love…" her eyes began to tear up and her voice cracked, "to the happy couple."

Again, everyone clapped and drank and shared in this happy affair. Bruce looked from Tab to Anne and sighed, "Everyone, I have an announcement to make as well," his hand reached into his pocket and gripped the velvet box, "I'm so happy you are all here to celebrate this day with us, and…" his hand pulled from his pocket, "And have a great rest of the night."

He glanced back to Anne and saw her pursed lips and knew that tonight there would be another mess that needed cleaning.

—

Tab watched from across the roof and downed the rest of her drink.

"It's not over yet," Steve wrapped his arm around her shoulder and let her head drop to rest against him, "I liked the song."

"Me too. It seemed fitting for..everything."

"I know." Tab and Steve stayed like that long after the guests had left, but the spell was broken what JARVIS requested that Tab make her way to Bruce's floor of the tower, to clean up another mess.

*******Thank you for reading!

Feel free to review and tell me if you'd like the story leading up to this point and moving on from this point, if not, thanks for the read anyways. Tata kiddies!***************

(No profits are made off this, all characters are Marvel's except OC's which are figments of my own imagination)

(Songs are by Sam Smith and Adele, not mine, not claiming them as my own.)


End file.
